Genealogy Books - The Twelve Caesars (Penguin Classics)

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Summary: The Gold Standard of Ancient History
Comment: This translation of Suetonius's Twelve Ceasars translated by Robert Graves with a great introduction
by Michael Grant is a history-lover's dream. This is definitely my favorite historial work in
translation; it is expertly and lovingly brought to life. To me, anybody should be able to be
transported in moments back to ancient Rome in the time of Augustus or Nero and have one hell of a
read. Suetonius was a minor government functionary who was given the spectacular opportunity to see
the early imperial archives, kind of like a blogger or National Enquirer reporter given the
opportunity to look at Clinton-era video surveilance or Nixon's Watergate tapes. This work is one
of the most accessible views of ancient history ever. It's filled with lurid sex, gossip, murder,
palace coups, degeneracy, monumental building, war, poisonings, etc. If you're going to be a
liberal arts major, it pays to know a few dirty stories about the Caesars; this is the book to read.

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Summary: Rome's Tabloid Historian
Comment: Suetonius grew up in the years following Nero's reign and wrote these histories while he was the
secretary of the emperor Hadrian in the early second century A.D. His book covers the successive
reigns of Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius,
Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.

The stories focus on the emperors themselves more than
the events which took place under their reigns and, although there's certainly some truth to those
emperors, many of Suetonius' facts are anecdotal stories and rumors. Suetonius has therefore been
called one of the first tabloid writers. Nevertheless, his biographies are rather concise and
systematic; touching upon the physical attributes of the ruler, his background, the good deeds (if
any) in his reign and then, of course, the bad deeds.

Robert Graves' translation is
superb and probalby one of the best ones available. It is quite faithful to the generally jovial
mood of Suetonius' work and presented with a good introduction by reputed historian Michael Grant. I
can't help but be amused at some of the stories Suetonius recites on Nero and Caligula as they are
definitely two of the most eccentric emperors (to put it lightly)that ever ruled the Principate. For
example, when Nero first inaugurated his new gigantic Golden House with a mile-long corridor and a
130' statue of himself at the entrance, he was said to have exclaimed, "At last! I can live like a
human being!"

Customer Rating:

Summary: Dry
Comment: I found the book very dry and decided not to use it for my students.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Ceasar still lives
Comment: The material in this book is almost unbelievable.To think that our civilization began in such
horrors is almost unimaginable.
But the reading of it was fastinating. The prose excellent and
fascinating from beginning to end.
I liked the way much of the Hollywood (we Blame them for
everything) glitz was blown away and we got to the Truth?
Now I am looking for more once I get
through my other books.
Art Lewis.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Getting To Know Them
Comment: Sorry, I couldn't resist the corrolation with the song. An excellent overview of the men who ruled
their world. The good along with the bad. Any serious student of Rome must own this book!

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